Oil companies seek legislative intervention to stem pipeline vandalism

Some oil companies, on Wednesday, called for legislative intervention to curb pipeline vandalism, saying it is inimical to the country’s economic well-being and ecosystem.

The companies made the call at a public hearing on oil theft, pipeline vandalism and their effects on oil-producing states, organised by the House of Representatives in Abuja.

They blamed the environmental pollution in the South-south region on the activities of pipeline vandals, particularly in the host communities.

Philip Akuduro, the team lead for Oando PLC, attributed the high percentage of oil spillage to activities of vandals.

According to Mr Akuduro, most of the vandals, with increasing appetite for pilfering crude from the pipelines through illegal connections and damage to oil installations, reside in host communities.

“Data by Oando on Burutu in Southern Ijaw revealed that over 90 per cent of oil theft and pipeline vandalism were perpetrated by members of the host communities.

“These vandals have increasing penance while their capacity to steal from the commonwealth knows no bounds.

“They sabotage the efforts of oil companies to minimise incidences of spillages in their areas.

“Our operations covering largely onshore and marshy areas are easily accessible to vandals whose activities result in spillage and pollution of the environment as oil spills are swiftly spread by the strong underwater current,” he said.

Also speaking, Ewarezi Useh, the chief operating officer of Aieto Group, a petroleum business company, also blamed the drop in crude oil production on the activities of vandals.

Mr Usheh stressed the importance of a cordial working relationship between oil companies and their host communities to address the menace.

He, however, said that the combined efforts of security agencies were yielding results as production of crude oil had started improving again.

The Chairperson, House Committee on Environment, Julius Pondi (PDP-Delta), reiterated the committee’s resolve to unearth the cause(s) of environmental degradation and pollution caused by oil companies through their operations.

Mr Pondi said that the committee had arranged an oversight visit to the operations sites of Oando in Delta State to ascertain claims of having cleaned up the effects of the oil spillage in some communities which occurred in May.

(NAN)